


The Truth in your lies

by RoliviaisLOVE



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: All Magic Comes With a Price, Alpha/Omega, Dragons, F/F, Family, Parent Maleficent (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-02-17
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:00:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29012433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoliviaisLOVE/pseuds/RoliviaisLOVE
Summary: Emma has always felt unexplainablely empty, she's always felt uneasy around her parents once she discovered them and she's always been drawn to Regina.Through lies amd deciet come clarity and truth in the most unexpected of places. Maybe the truth behind her parents lies just might bring about the peace and belonging Emma has always desperately sought in a world that has been undeniable cruel to her. Maybe good and evil aren't so black and white and maybe just maybe it is time for Emma Swan and those she loves to take back all that was stolen from them and live their own haoly ever after.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan, Lily | Lilith Page & Emma Swan, Maleficent & Emma Swan, Prince Charming | David Nolan/Snow White | Mary Margaret Blanchard
Comments: 95
Kudos: 179





	1. Frustration

The street was deserted, the pavements seemed black with rain in the pale moonlight as Emma walked quickly down Main Street towards the docs. A gentle breeze ruffled her long blonde locks as she strode and she tried desperately to hold back the tears that threatened to fall down her flushed cheeks. Though she wasn't particularly sad which made the tears even worse in her eyes. She was just highly frustrated and feeling a tad rejected. 

Her mother and Father, goodness that was a strange thought, were hiding something from her. She wasn't sure what but they were. Her little secret power had pinged near enough every time they opened their mouths to speak in the past week, alerting her to the lies they were sprouting from their lips. She wondered silently how her life got so bloody complicated. 

Little more than four years ago she was Emma Swan, Bail bondsman, ex prisoner, orphan. Now she was Emma Swan - The Savior, Princess of the white kingdom, daughter to snow White and Prince charming, mother to Henry, sheriff of small town Storybrooke and big sister to Prince Neal. She had only just begun to trust her parents after finding out they had sent her as a newborn through a bloody wardrobe with a puppet turned boy from a magic land (the enchanted forest) in order to ensure she would grow up and come save them from a curse cast by the evil queen who turned out to be her kids adoptive mother, the mayor of the town and eventually her best friend. Her parents actions had always kinda infuriated her. She thought their actions were a little selfish. 

Had they not sent her through the wardrobe she wouldn't have grown up in and out of foster homes, facing rejection after rejection from potential parents. She wouldn't have been nieve enough to fall for a con man who then set her up for robbery, she wouldn't have spent a year in prison or given birth to her unexpected son in said prison and been given no choice but to give him up because she couldn't take care of him. That day will forever remain the most painful moment of her life. Watching her baby boy dissapear through the hospital doors destroyed Emma in a way no amount of abuse, neglect or rejection from Foster parents ever could. She felt a part of herself rip from her. It had made the void inside her, the feeling that there was something missing grow much larger and more palpable and it was a feeling she still lived with to this day. 

Even with Henry back in her life, even now she had settled in this little town as their sherif. Even now she had her parents back and had a best friend. She could not help but feel like their was a whole part of her missing. Had done all her life. It had haunted her for as long as she could remember, always tormenting her. It had settled slightly only twice in her life when she met two separate unforgettable people, though the feeling renewed with vigour when she inevitably lost them like she had everyone in her life. 

Now as she sat on the cold wooden bench facing the water she couldn't help then sobs that burst forth. Was it so much to ask that her parents showed her the same trust and respect that she was expected to show them as their child? 

Why wouldn't they tell her about the reasons Maleficent was so intent on harming them? What had they done? What were they hiding? Because she knew they were hiding something. They wouldn't have felt the need to lie to her if they weren't. It unsettled her. It reminded her of the unease she always felt around Snow and Charming. An unease she had tried desperately not to acknowledge ever since she had learned the truth about who she was. She had caught odd looks occasionally pass between her parents. Unsettling smirks is how she would best describe it, paired with this feeling. This unexplainable feeling that everything wasn't as it seemed to be. 

She was so confused and frustrated. It was exhausting and quite frankly she was so tired of it all. So tired of the lies and secrets. The unease and suspicion. It was all accumulating in a mass swirl of emotion that sat uncomfortably in her stomach. It felt far too warm and she gasped involuntarily when her left wrist suddenly began to burn intensely before it dissapeared again. She pulled the sleeve of her signature red leather jacket back from the offending wrist and stared in wide eyed disbelief at what she was seeing. There in place of where her black smudge of a birthmark had previously sat was a small tattoo depiction of the sun, no sign of the previous mark. 

"Ugh" she shouted into the night air as she felt her frustration increase. What was happening now? She already had so much to deal with, what could possibly be the reason for a tattoo appearing on her wrist? Was it some kind of spell? Curse? 

She sighed tiredly, her shoulders shaking with the force of her tears as the additional questions brought a fresh wave of them spilling down her face. She honestly did not know how to process everything right now. She needed to walk, to get away for a little bit. Poofing herself to the forest at the edge of town she began to walk as quickly as she could, intent on escaping her turmoil for a little bit. Sure it was fast approaching midnight but she really had no choice right now. She couldn't stand the fought of going back to her parents loft and pretending to play happy families with them right now and the only other person in town she would feel comfortable with right now was probably fast asleep in her home with Henry sleeping also. She couldn't turn up to wake her friend up and risk Henry seeing his mother in such a state. He didn't deserve to worry over her. She would have to wait till tomorrow before she could talk to Regina about her concerns and with that thought shebpicmed up her pace, tuning the world out, becoming oblivious to her surroundings. 

Maybe if she had paid just the slightest bit of attention she would have noticed the hidden figure that followed her, their blue/green eyes watching intently, curiously as the blonde saviour walked on. Following at a safe distance as not to be seen yet, the owner of those blue/green eyes faced her own confusion as she tried desperately to figure out just how in the world this had happened and how she could break the truth to the visibly upset blonde infront. After all it wasn't every day one learns they are a dragon.


	2. Maleficent's Return

She wasn't entirely sure what it was about this saviour, this Emma Swan that had caught her attention so firmly but from the moment she had laid her eyes upon the blonde and smelt her scent something had been clawing to get out. Some piece of knowledge or understanding that was right at the front of her brain yet stubbornly not allowing her to grasp the meaning of it. She was drawn to Emma, more than she had ever been to anyone. The blondes scent drew her in inexplicably, frustratingly. It is why she found herself here right now. Standing in the shadows not far from where the blonde saviour, the Charmings daughter no less, sat sobbing on the bench beside the docks. 

The girls sobs (because she really did resemble a girl as she sat sobbing in Maleficents eyes) pulled painfully at her heart in a way the dark queen had never experienced before amd it was so far from what she thought she would feel when she was resurrected little more than a day ago that it immobilised her for the moment. She would have expected to have felt some sort if glee or satisfaction in witnessing the obvious distress of the Charmings precious little princess, after all, their misery was all that she had hoped for all these years. She wanted them to suffer. She wanted Snow White and her Prince to suffer the unimaginable pain that she had, that they had caused. She wanted her revenge on them and yet as she witnessed their child's upset it made her uncomfortable. It made her want to hug the blonde, comfort her, protect her and she couldn't understand why. All she could do was stand, watching as the girl - Emma Swan sobbed her heart out on that wretched bench. 

It wasn't until she felt the sharp sting on her wrist and heard a gasp escape the lips of the blonde she had been watching that her brain finally pieced together what it had been trying to understand for the majority of the day. There on her wrist was the unmistakable outline of a sun and judging by the way Emma was staring at her own wrist the dark queen knew her suspicion was correct. It all suddenly fell into place in her mind, the reason she was experiencing such a strong draw to this woman. The reason her scent was so familiar, the reason she felt so uneasy at the girls distress and the truth of it all filled her up with satisfaction, anticipation and pure love. The feelings it invoked left her breathless in the most amazing way yet. She genuinely couldn't believe it. Couldnt understand it amd yet it was true. 

It was undeniable, and she felt herself genuinely smile for the first time in thirty odd years as she stroked her wrist lovingly, running her finger first over the knewly appeared sun and then the moon that she had known was there already. Both marks sitting side by side. Her smile grew. 

This moment was priceless and it filled her with hope. A hope she felt all because of this girl. Soon. She thought. Soon. Soon everything would be as it should always have been. 

~flashback 24HOURS AGO, UNDER THE CLOCK TOWER IN THE DEPTHS OF THE LIBRARY~ 

Anger, intense, overwhelming, pure, devastating anger was the first thing Maleficent was aware of when she felt herself awake, Rumple, Ursela and Cruela having resurrected her. It was so strong an emotion in her that she had to visibly take several minutes to calm herself down, breathing long and deep to control her intense urge to shift into dragon form and eat everyone here alive. 

"Maleficent, so good to see you deary" Rumplestiltskins voice penetrated the haze of red around her mind, allowing her to regain her composure a little. 

"It took you long enough" she hissed angrily as she glared at the man. Clearly scrutinising the imp of a man in his strange looking suit. 

"Oh deary, a deals a deal it just took a little longer to get the ingredients than I would have liked, little snow White got pregnant and I couldnt very well take her blood while she carried the babe now could I?" He replied gleefully, as he bounced slightly on his heels. 

"Why now Rumple, what do you want?" She asked finally getting to the point, not wanting to listen to another second of his talk of Snow White and her Charming. He was well aware that those names were a sure way to get her anger. 

"From you? Nothing but you to do what you want, get your happy ending. Our dear friends here will help me with what I want." He replied cryptically before dissapearing in a cloud of dark smoke. She growls in frustration, the sound bouncing off the cavern walls. Disconcerting on the ears of her two fellow queens of darkness. 

"Mal darling, its been so long" Cruella smirked moving to embrace her friend. 

"Ready to take back what is rightfully ours ladies?" She replied darkly, cocking her head to the side in mock question. She knew there was no need to ask the question to begin with. For too long they had been vilified and denied, all their happiness sucked from them by the so called heroes of the world. It was beyond past time they reclaimed all that they had lost, all that had been took from them. 

Though she needn't have said it she still did, needing the confirmation, the commitment from her two friends that they would help her amd the two other queens of darkness without hesitation offered her the comfort she sought in their verbal agreement. They knew out of them all it was Maleficent who had suffered the greatest loss of all. 

The loss of a child.


	3. And so its Begun

No matter how fast she pushed her legs, Emma could not dispell the roiling ball of emotion that was twisting within the pit of her stomach. She always had trouble controlling her emotions but never had it been quite as difficult as it was now. Not even in her worst moments, in and out of foster homes, trauma after trauma, giving birth and then having to give her son away, had her emotions felt so ready to burst forth. Her whole body felt as if it were overheating. Not even on her heats as an Omega had she felt this level of fire wrack her veins like it was right now. She was on blockers so it couldn't even be just a spontaneous heat come to floor her. It was something else, something foreign yet strangely familiar and it was all encompassing. 

Her entire body felt as if it were burning up, yet it wasn't all that painful. Just uncomfortable. Burning her skin from the inside out. Most intensely in her stomach. The blaze felt painful there and the heat within her only seemed to be getting worse, growing and growing in a way that made her panic. She had no idea what was going on and as she realised this she realised she was no longer moving. She was panting hard, trying in vain to pull in as much cool air as she could in the hopes of dousing whatever flames had ignited within. Her vision was blurry as she tried desperately to work out just where she had stopped but she couldn't make out a thing as the world spun around her. Making her feel dizzy, so fucking dizzy. 

It was confusing. She didnt know what this was and oddly she was becoming increasingly more mad at herself. She knew she was in no condition just to poof herself over to Regina's which meant to get help she would have to either walk (impossible because she couldn't even fucking see right now), call (also impossible for the same reasons) or send out a distress signal using her magic, which she hadn't fucking learnt to do yet no matter how much Regina had tried to teach her. It was making her mad, doing nothing to disperse the flames roiling within. Her anger however seemed to fuel the fire within, as the heat increased drastically, causing her to double over, gasping in pain and fear. 

What the fuck was this? Vaguely she heard a keening noise that sounded far off as if someone were calling out. Was that her? She didn't know, the world seemed so muffled now as it danced and twirled around her. 

Her usual keen senses dull now, not registering or picking up on the noises of the forest around her, nor the blonde that was rapidly approaching her from behind, breathing heavily as if she had run a great distance as she closed in on the obviously unaware blonde saviour. She was so unaware that she hadn't even realised she was falling, her legs giving up on their effort to keep her standing, until two long, strong arms wrapped round her from behind. Enveloping her, pulling her securely against a warm body. 

She wanted to escape the embrace, get away from the physical intrusion to her person. Experience had taught her it was never a good thing to let anyone touch her when she was incapacitated in anyway. Though she didnt have the strength to push away from the unknown individual that was holding her tight. Nor had she the ability to shout or curse at them until they left her alone like she wanted to do, too busy trying to desperately pull air into her lungs as the fire within her body only increased. 

She was now officially fucking terrified. Was this how she dies? 'Emma Swan survivor of multiple curses, near death experiences, horrific traumas yet death by fire caused by own emotions' she could picture that irony so clearly. Her social worker had always said she was her own worst enemy. Looked like the batty old woman was right all along. She could hear the womans words to eight year old her in her mind as clear as if she were standing next to her "I dont see why you cannot just be a normal little girl Emma, seriously you are your own worst enemy. If you didnt act like such a freak, maybe you would be wanted". At the time her words had cut Emma so deeply. She had no control over all the strange things that happened around her. It wasn't as if she were deliberately making things fly or dissapear. It wasn't as if she deliberately blew the windows apart without even touching them or moving a muscle. These things had just happened around her amd she had no control over it. Still, little orphan that she was, nobody cared for that fact. They just cared that these things happened around Emma so it must be her fault. The thing was her social workers words weren't the worst at all she had experienced. They were rather tame compared to what she had experienced, even then. 

She felt herself cry out as her muscles twitched and clenched painfully if she didnt know any better she would have sworn Bellatrix Lestrange from that book series she had read one summer had suddenly appeared to crucio her out of nowhere. What she felt now was kin to what she imagined being hit by the made up curse from those books would truly feel like in real life. Her whole body lunged forward, as if it meant to escape whatever unknown force was terrorising her so ruthlessly and if it weren't for whomever it was that was holding her up she no doubt would have done a number on her face, for she would have landed right on the forest floor, fucking face first. 

Those arms seemed to tighten yet loosen all at once, as the unknown individual guided Emma down to the ground. Turning her and pressing her into the strangers chest, her face being guided to the individuals neck. Nose held against what she could only barely register was whomevers scent gland. 

It was as this registered, the panic of being held so intimately with it, registered fully in her hazy, pain addled mind that she was hit by the most comforting scent she had ever smelt. This person was obviously an Alpha, though she did not, could not recognise to whom the scent belonged too and those two facts should have had her recoiling in fear, after all no good had ever come from being held in such a way by un unknown Alpha, yet as she was forced to breath in the scent it felt soothing, safe and oddly familiar. As if she were coming home, being held by her mother. Not that she had ever been held so tenderly by her mother but it felt like she had always imagined it would do and as she continued to inhale, drawing the scent deeper and deeper into her she felt herself unwillingly relax, melting into the hold of this unknown individual. Her muscles going slack and her mind beginning to slow from its previous panicked state. 

She felt herself being lulled, rocked gently. A hand stroking through her hair as she continued to ride out the waves of intense fire that racked her limp body. Her body too doped up on this unknown Alpha's pheromones to allow the pain to cause her muscles to tense and contort anymore. It was a relief. The first time in her entire life she had ever felt that absolute relief to know at least someone was trying to help her in her moment of need without a single thought to what they could get from her. 

"Hush my little one, I've got you" the comforting words were whispered into her ear, the voice unmistakably female, as she was nuzzled tenderly. She could feel her consciousness slipping as she continued to lay limp in this womans arms and yet she had no energy to even whisper a response. All that escaped her mouth was a pitiful whimper of pain, confusion and sheer exhaustion as her consciousness finally gave out and she fell into complete darkness, overwhelmed completely with the strange fire that still raged on internally and the overwhelming scent of the Alpha woman holding her. As she fell, she only barely registered the soothing lilt that responded to her whimper.

"It's alright, sleep my little dragon, mama won't let anyone harm you anymore." And as Maleficent felt the blonde in her arms finally lose the battle of keeping herself conscious, she smiled down lovingly at Emma. Her transformation had begun. Emma Swan would wake in the near future with the knowledge she had been deprived of and the dark queen knew that when the saviour awoke, it would be a much different woman that did so. One finally back where she belonged and the dark queen could not wait.


	4. Chapter 4

Emma did not know where she was as she gazed around the dark cave she had suddenly appeared in. She was well aware that this was most probably a dream, as she could still feel the remnants of whatever the strange flames were that were rocking her bloody nervous system and could remember falling in the middle of the damned woods. It was strange though, she didnt recognise the cave she stood in, she was positive she had never been here before and as she cast her eyes around the cave she barely stifled the shocked gasp in time as her eyes landed on none other than a visibly pregnant Snow White and Prince Charming, standing over a visibly distraught looking Maleficent. The dark queen sat against the cave wall sobbing, while her parents stood over her looking rather smug as Snow clutched a rather large egg in her arms. 

"No no please don't, please don't do this to me. I won't survive this" the dragon whimpered as she tried to stand upright as if to get to the other two in the cave with her. 

"Its too late Dragon, we can't risk you raising more darkness. We need these babies if we have any hope in defeating the evil queen. I will not risk my future happiness for the likes of you" Snow sneered as she turned to leave. 

"No please not my babies, please I'll do anything but they're innocent. They don't deserve to be dragged into this. Please Snow I'm begging you, mother to mother, please don'ttake my babies" Maleficent chocked out as she stumbled, clearly not strong enough to stand up. Her face twisted with what Emma could only describe as heartbreak. 

Snow laughed, startling Emma, and smiled condescendingly at the distraught woman. "Oh but that's exactly the issue. They aren't innocent. Anything that comes from you is as rotten as their mother, better we get use of them to protect our little one than us allow you to raise more monsters" she replied before she strode from the cave, Charming following closely at her heels. 

Emma watched and felt her own heart break when Maleficent crumpled in on herself, letting out an agonising sound as she tried desperately to crawl after snow and charming. 

Before Emma could react, feeling like she needed to go and hold this woman if only to offer her some sort of comfort she felt the ground around her shift as the scene faded and she suddenly found herself standing in a clearing. A large tree surrounded by stones stood dead centre and again she saw Snow and Charming standing with the stolen egg that she now knew contained Maleficents children. 

She was horrified by this, disgusted and furious at her parents for their actions. She knew they were hiding something but never in her life did she think they would ever be capable of such cruelty. What did they hope to gain in kidnapping innocent children? They were babies for crying out loud. 

In a cloud of white smoke a tall elderly man appeared before her parents and nodded respectfully at them. "We did what was needed, we have a vessel now please remove the darkness from my daughter" Snow stated simply as she placed the egg on the ground infront of them. 

"Are you sure this is what you want? You want to take away your babies own free will to choose her own destiny by removing her potential for darkness and placing it into the dragons unborn children?" The man asked, his deep masculine voice belaying his unease. 

"Yes, now do as I ask. I will not have these monsters being introduced to this world, nor will I ever allow my child to even consider turning to the dark" Snow hissed as she gestured between her own baby bump and the egg. "Now do it". 

Emma felt her horror grow as she watched the man sigh "just remember all magic comes with a price" before muttering under his breath, waving his hand over both Snows stomach and the egg. There was a flash of light and Emma could only stand seething as she watched Snows stomach and the egg glow brightly before flashing once and returning to normal. 

Just when she thought it was over a swirling portal opened up inches from the egg and Snow smiled sweetly before moving to nudge the egg into the portal with her foot. 

"No no stop right there!!" Came the screeching voice of Ursela as she and Cruela came bursting out of the trees, dashing towards the egg. Emma saw the horror register in their eyes as they watched the egg fall through the portal and she was rather grateful that the two queens of darkness did not think twice about diving forward into the portal themselves to try and catch the egg. 

Again without giving her the chance to process or react the ground shifted beneath her again and she was suddenly standing in a brightly lit children's nursery. The walls were pink and the room was filled with white furniture, cuddly toys and baby paraphernalia littered the walls and tops of drawers neatly. Sitting on a long chair was none of other than her mother, holding a baby wrapped in a white cotton blanket. 

"Why are her eyes glowing Charming? They shouldn't be glowing" her mother asked as she gently bounced the baby in her arms. 

"I dont know Snow but we don't have much time, the Evil Queen is nearly here" her father replied as he rushed to her side from the window. 

"She looks like.." he whispered with a hint if disgust when he caught sight of the baby. 

"NO! NO do not say it. I birthed her. She's mine. I dont care for Rumples musings. The spell may have gone wrong. I may have birthed the wrong baby somehow but what she doesn't know won't hurt her. She will have no reason to know about that monster and she will save us. That is her purpose now. Take her to the wardrobe before she's stuck here with us and we lose our only hope at beating that retched woman" Snow cut him off, thrusting the baby into his arms roughly. As Charming gathered the baby and rushed past her she caught sight of the bright pink letters embroidered on the blanket and felt her world tilt on its head. 

There clear as day was one word. 

'EMMA' 

Emma felt herself slip back into the darkness, the fire she had previously felt roaring to life again as she tried to process all she had seen. 

\---- 

Back in the forest Maleficent sat holding Emma as she wiped tears from her eyes knowing exactly what would be happening within the girls mind and body and her instincts wanted nothing more than for her to soothe her girls pain but there was nothing she could do now. Her being here in Storybooke had set this all in motion. If she had to hazard a guess it was her proximity to the girl that had started the change. Her own dragon calling out to her girls inner dragon. Bringing it to the surface. 

She could remember her own transformation. It had been painful but she had transformed when she was much younger so the change had been easier for her. She had no idea just how bad it would be for her girl having had that side of her hidden for so many years, denied to her. 

Willing herself to collect her emotions she stood, lifting Emma into her arms gently. She knew her girl would wake up confused, angry and upset and it was for that reason she couldn't be with her girl when she did. She needed Emma to work out everything she had learnt, needed her to process it and understand it without her own influence. It was the only way to ensure that her daughters dragon didn't emerge until Emma had excepted the truth. If not then Emma would be forced to view her as her mother, the bond between them would insert itself as it was always destined to do and give Emma no choice in where her loyalties lay. Maleficent had no doubts that her child would choose her, would side with her but she needed it to be her daughters decision because as much as she wanted revenge on the charmings she was a mother first and foremost and she would never force her child to go against the people she had viewed as her parents for years no matter how disgusting the thought was. 

In a puff of dark smoke the two blondes dissapeared and reappeared in the Mayors lobby and Mal waisted no time in marching through the lobby and into the sitting room. Where she came face to face with a visibly startled Regina. 

The dark haired woman stood up quickly upon seeing Mal and Emma, her eyes widening first in surprise and then in concern as she took in the obviously unconscious Emma in Maleficents arms. "What.. what on earth Mal?" Regina breathed as she moved over in their direction as Maleficent placed Emma down on the sofa gently and summoning a blanket to lay over the sleeping girl. 

Regina watched in bewilderment as Mal placed a tender kiss on Emma's forehead, trailing the back of her hand across the flushed cheek of the saviour, all the while with the softest expression Regina had ever witnessed on the dark queens face. Before the woman rose up from the floor and turned to face Regina, her face hardening slightly as she narrowed her eyes at the Mayor. 

"I need you to do something for me Regina, baring in mind I have never asked anything of you. Right now Emma is simply sleeping, while she sleeps she is experiencing several visions of her origins and when she wakes I need you to be there for her. She will need an Alpha she trusts to calm her. You are the only Alpha in this town that she will trust when she wakes." Maleficent spoke evenly, her tone calm and collected but Regina had little doubt that if she did not do as the woman asked she would have all types of hell to pay. 

"Okay I will but may I ask why this is so important to you and why you simply haven't taken her to her mother?" Regina spoke slowly, not wanting to upset the blonde dragon infront of her but needing to know what she was worming with. Time had taught her not to blindly except things as they appeared and she had the suspicion that there was something more going on here that Mal hadn't told her. 

"I need your word you will not go talking about this with anyone other than myself of Emma when she wakes" the dragon whispered, finally allowing some of the emotion she was feeling to slip past her facade. 

"Of course Mal" Regina whispered, moving forward to gently grasp her oldest friends arm. 

"Short version because I'm sure you will hear the details from Emma when she awakes but to put it simply. I was pregnant before you cast the curse. Snow White and her Charming" she spat their names, her eyes flashing briefly with the fury she still felt at what they had done to her. "They took my babies before they had a chance to hatch, I never saw them again. It turns out because of their actions towards me and my children Snow lost her own baby and birthed Emma instead. She is one of my daughters. You know enough about dragons to understand how she's in the state she is in now yes?" She asked a little snarkier than she meant, but her emotions were far too strong and out of control right now for her to care very much. Regina nodded, 9ndicatong that she did. After all Maleficent had been her mentor, she had learned an awful lot about magic and magical creatures from the woman, including an indepth education about all things dragons. 

"Good. Now please make it clear to Emma that she needs to be certain about what she wants before she seeks me out. You need to explain to her what will happen as soon as she is in my presence again. I will not force her to follow me nor abandon the parents she has known for several years. If she is to join me it must be her choice not because of the bond." With that Maleficent dissapeared and Regina was left standing by the couch looking at an unconscious Emma. Her own thoughts racing about all she had learnt. 

She couldn't help the wave of guilt that swarmed in her stomach uncomfortably. She knew she was partly responsible for all this and now that she had Henry she could only imagine the pain her friend had experienced losing her children before she even got a chance to look at them let alone hold them. It infuriated her, reignited her hate for the charmings and she had to force herself to take deep calming breathes as she refocused her mind. She needed to be there for Emma. Her sons other mother, her best friend and the woman that she secretly loved more than she had anyone in her life. 

She could control her own emotions, for Emma's sake. For Henry's sake akd for Mals sake. She would do what she could to help Emma through and support her without question in whatever she chose to do.


	5. Chapter 5

Emma woke feeling startlingly different than she did before whatever the fuck had happened in the darned forest. She could feel cool skin pressed against her nose and feel gentle fingers trailing softly through her hair. She was confused and disoriented, so she chose to lay still to collect her barings without alerting whomever was touching her that she was awake. 

The last thing she needed right now was to open her eyes and see anyone that may set her off, her emotions were frazzled and stretched thin and she had no doubt that if she were to see the charmings or anyone connected to the scenes she had just witnessed in her head she wouldn't be able to contain her fury. She could feel the barely contained rage of her dragon.... wait her dragon? Since when did she have a dragon? She felt her breathing grow heavy as her mind began to panic. 

The visions in her mind were true? She was a dragon? She could feel the beast within herself. Had been able to ever since she woke up but only now could she recognise it. She didnt feel so empty anymore, so alone. She felt like she was finally who she was meant to be but she had no bloody clue how this had happened. What had triggered this to occur? She couldn't make sense of it. 

As her panic grew she didn't register the presence beside her shift slightly until she was being pulled up into strong arms and tucked against an obviously feminine chest. 

"Just breathe Emma, just breathe" the low murmur of the mayors voice whispered in her ear as she felt herself been tucked closer, her head being pushed into the mayors neck and despite knowing Regina was the one person she didnt have to fear right now, that her best friend was the one person she could count on Emma couldnt get her thoughts to slow or her breathing undercontrol as it began escaping her in short bursts and gasps. 

"Come on Emma please breath in nice and deep for me, I do not want to have to overpower you" Regina's voice was still as softly spoken as it had been before only now Emma could hear a hint of command in the womans voice and had no doubts in what she had meant. It was a threat as much as it was a promise. They both knew how much Emma hated being forced to submit, that she had fought hard once the curse was broken and the Alpha/Beta/Omega reality set in again to ensure that she wasn't seen as just an Omega. But she also knew that if she couldn't calm down Regina would be forced to overpower her to protect her. She couldn't afford to lose control of her dragon. 

Trying to focus on that she attempted to draw in a deep breath but couldn't, her chest constricting painfully as her body shook, she looked up, meeting her friends eyes for the first time since she had awoken and she let the panic, confusion and fear she felt show in her eyes, silently resigning herself, knowing that she wouldn't be able to calm down without Regina's help. 

"Oh Emma, that bad huh?" Regina's words were whispered but Emma could see the hesitation in her eyes and she couldn't be more grateful for the woman that held her. It proved she was right in placing her trust in her friend. Any other Alpha wouldn't have hesitated in forcing her to submit to them. "Okay okay my Swan, ill do it but as soon as your calm I'll lift the effects and we can talk about whats happened okay?" Regina smiled tenderly down at Emma, not at all used to seeing the blonde so vulnerable, but glad she was willingly asking her for help. It had taken years for them to get to this point in their friendship. She was full of regrets over the way she had treated the blonde in the early days and she was grateful that Emma trusted enough to do this. At the same time it pained her, knew it must take a lot for Emma to willingly give up control of her own free will even if it was just for a moment. 

Taking a deep breath Regina allowed the Alpha in her to overtake her for a moment. Her features hardening with confidence and dominance as her smile turned into a smirk. Her Alpha instincts recognising the distressed Omega in her arms and guiding her through what needed to be done. 

Her eyes narrowed and she allowed her words to escape with all the power she possessed as she commanded "Breath", pumping out dominant pheromones that were none to gentle but still caring enough to allow Emma to feel safe. She saw the effect automatically as Emma blinked Hazel, her eyes clouding before clearing and Regina growled low in her throat as the omega resisted her. 

"Breathe. NOW!" Her voice was stronger now, commanding in a way that was more aggressive than it had been. "BREATHE MY OMEGA" this time Regina could see that Emma wouldn't win the fight as the blonde gasped, drawing in a deep lungful of the Alpha's scent. 

"Again" she brought her voice to a gentler tone as she saw that Emma was now completely under her control, having been unable to resist the Alpha's command and Regina didnt want to think too much on that right now. She saw how Emma had fought it and knew that an Omega as strong as Emma should have been able to resist any Alpha's command if they were determined enough with one exception. If that Alpha was the Omega's true mate..... 

She shook her head, desperate to rid herself of that thought for the moment. The only way they could test that was when Emma was fully in control of her emotions and she wasn't sure she was ready to find out the answer either. They had worked too hard for their friendship and she was scared that to admit loving Emma, to explore the meaning behind the blonde being unable to resist her Alpha command would mean Regina would lose her and she knew she wouldn't survive that. Emma was far too important too her. 

"Thats it, good girl" she whispered as Emma continued to breath deeply, pulling Emma's head back into her neck as she reigned in her own instincts and lessened the heaviness of her pheromones. Allowing the blonde to slowly regain control of herself. She held her close, rocking gently as she scratched the blondes scalp tenderly like she would Henry whenever he had been upset. 

They sat like that for a while longer before Emma was in control enough to speak up "They're not my parents" she whispered and Regina just hummed in acknowledgement as she let the blonde go on to explain all that she had seen in her mind, including telling her what had happened the previous day. Her fight with Snow and Charming regarding how she knew they were lying to her, her treck through the woods and the boiling fire that had spread through her body and by the end of it Regina was seething. 

Her anger for the Charmings reignited with vigour at the injustice of what they had done to Mal and her daughters. She couldn't believe how hypocritical Snow was. To steal a mothers children? To inject them with anothees darkness without care for the consequences and then push unhatched, helpless infants into a portal with no knowledge as to what they would face on the other side. 

Though she assured curious as to what had happened to Snows baby, obviously the price of the dark magic she had the sorcerer used had interfered with her pregnancy somehow, causing Emma to end up in Snows womb but had Snows actual child died? Been switched? Taken somewhere? She didn't know akd without talking to the sorcerer or finding out exactly the spell used she wouldn't know. 

All she did know is that she was now more than eager to aid Mal and Emma in whatever way possible. She couldn't imagine the pain the two of them had gone through. If she had lost Henry no latter the circumstance she knew it would destroy her akd she felt a fresh wave of guilt overtake her when she realised this was the reason Mal hadn't fought her harder when she stole the curse from her all those years ago. Mal had been pregnant and unwilling to do anything that would risk her babies lives amd Regina hadn't even stopped to ask her why she was loath to fight. Instead she had taken the curse and not thought twice about casting it amd bringing the entirety of the Enchanted Forest to Storybrook giving Mal no way of finding her daughters. 

"I need to find Mal, Regina. I need to see my mother" Emma finally said, pulling back slightly from Regina's arms to look at her properly. Her demeanour was calmer now, her eyes regaining their sparkle and her complexion back to the pale white it had always been. Though there was still a slight sheen of sweat across her forehead and Regina had to tamp down on the urge to lean in and taste the salty skin she knew she would find. 

"Emma, Mal has asked me to make it clear to you that in going to find her you must be certain about where you stand on whats all happened. If you go to see her, your inner dragon and hers will recognise kin within each other and your loyalty will be pulled to her. Its a dragon thing that I'm sure she can explain better but what she means is if you still want the charmings in your life, if you still want to protect them you cannot go to her because other wise your dragons will bond and you will be fiercely protective of her as she is of you" Regina explained gently, her voice quote but authorities, needing the blonde to understand completely. 

The dark look that passed over Emma's face as Regina spoke stunned the brunette a little, it was a beautiful blend of sinister and seductive and the smirk that adorned her face caused arousal to stir at Regina's sex. "I stand by what I said. I need to see Mal Regina. After finding out the truth there isn't a thing on earth that will keep me from taking my place at her side as I was always meant to. She is my mother and I won't be separated from her any further" Emma replied firmly a she leant forward, pressing a kiss to Regina's cheek in silent thanks for her support before she stood, fixing her clothing before she dissapeared in a cloud of dark smoke and Regina found herself grinning wickedly, realising that with Emma's choice to join Mal and her dragon emerging Emma had gone a little dark and she would not, could not deny that the thought turned her on more than she thought possible. Maybe, just maybe things could be different between them. If only she could figure out exactly how Emma felt for her because the image of that sinful smirk and the feel of the Omega compliant in her arms, along with the blondes intoxicating scent was still so fresh in her mind that it was difficult for Regina not to just go after her and press her against the nearest hard surface to fuxk her senseless. 

Oh god, she groaned. Desperately shaking her head and biting her lower lip at the images that thought provoked in her mind. Among the many revelations today she really hadn't expected finally admitting to herself that she was deeply in love with Emma Swan to be one of them. 

She groaned again before standing up and moving towards the kitchen. She had a feeling the two blondes who had thrown such an atomic bomb into her reality would be back later and would no doubt need some sustenance, plus Henry was due in from school soon and she wanted to have his dinner ready, after all she was going to have to prepare him to learn the truth and it wasn't everyday you found out your mother is a dragon now is it? She thought with a chuckled as she began to prepare Emma's favourite. 

Her infamous Lasagne! She ignored the fact that it WAS Emma's favourite in favour of getting lost in the repetition of cooking, she really needed to get a hold of her attraction before Mal turned up again. She did not think she would survive that. Maleficents teasing could be torturous and she no doubt would tease her mercilessly if she caught on to Regina's feelings. Which she would because Regina didnt think she could control how she felt now that she had admitted it and knew her ever attentive oldest friend would pick up on it as soon as it presented itself. What had she gotten herself into? She sighed. Setting the oven to preheat.


	6. Chapter 6

Laying in Regina's arms felt heavenly for the few moments that Emma allowed herself to completely relax, even after Regina had fully lifted her Alpha pheromones. After everything she had learned and experienced in less than twenty four hours she figured she needed the small comfort her best friend offered too her. Regina's arms felt like a life boat among the swirl of many many confusing thoughts and feelings that mixed horrifically through her mind. 

The way the brunette held her to her chest, running soothing fingers through her long blond hair amd the all to familiar yet all to pleasing scent of Regina was like a cool balm to her mind and body after the burning she took earlier but she knew she couldn't let herself linger for too long. Her mother needed her. Somehow she could feel her mothers anxiety, her worry that Emma wouldn't come, that Emma would pick the charmings. As if she ever would now she knew the truth.   
As if she ever would pick them when even before she knew the truth they had done nothing but lie to her, deceive her, hide their own misdeads and judge others in some perverted view of good versus evil. Snow had condemned Cruella, Ursela and Maleficent from the second they had shown up. Loudly proclaiming them to be evil, villains, untrustworthy, despicable people with no place in Storybooke. 

Yet Emma could see now that Snow and her Charming were the biggest hypocrites in existence. How dare they call her mother such things when arguably their actions were more than cruel, stealing unhatched babies to use in a dark spell for their own gain? Then casting those innocent babies into a portal, banishing them to a land far from their home with no thought to their fate. There was every possibility that the egg would hatch and her sister would have died alone without being found. She could only pray that her sister had made it. That her sister was somewhere out there, alive and well. She would find her and bring her home. Reunite her family amd then she would help them deal with all those who had wronged them. Saviour or not she would not save the charmings from their fate. 

Taking a deep breath, she pulled away from Regina, assuring her that she had made her decision. She needed her mother, just as badly as Mal needed her and bond or no she would never be parted from her mothers side again. It's where she amd her sister belonged. She kissed her best friends cheek in thanks before closing her eyes as she stood. Willing her magic to take her to Maleficent. She smiled in satisfaction at herself as she felt the familiar feeling of her magic responding and her body moving weightlessly. 

\------  
Opening her eyes, Emma found herself standing at the edge of a clearing surrounded by forest in all directions. In front of her, completely oblivious to her presence was the most magnificent dragon Emma had ever seen. (Not that she had ever seen a dragon). The extremely large black beauty had black and purple wings, majestic looking horns sat atop the dragons head ringed with purple and Emma could clearly see the well defined muscle of her mother in this form and the sight caused a swell of pride to rush through the young blond as she continted to gaze at her mothers form as she sat on the damp grass under the pale moon, the moonlight only shinning enough light into the clearing to alluminate the purple on Maleficents body . Her mother was amazing, strong, beautiful and she wanted nothing more than to run too her. 

"Mama?" Emma's voice was soft, questioning as she called out to the dragon, not willing to startle her mother. She remained still watching for any sign that her mother had heard her and was relieved and rather amused to see the slight cock of her mother head to indicate she was listening and even though it dissapionted Emma that her mother hadn't turned to face her she knew instinctively that if her mother locked eyes with her their bond would ascert itself without pause or consideration to Emma's wishes. Emma's heart squeezed painfully as she realised that her mother even now, despite how painful it was for herself not to go to Emma, was protecting her. Ensuring that she had a choice. 

"Its okay mama, please look at me" she tried again, her voice more certian than before, hoping to convey her sincerity. Maleficent huffed, letting out a low whine that only served to make Emma more desperate to see her mothers face yet fhe older dragon didn't turn around. 

"I choose you Mama, I will always choose you. Not the Charmings. They mean nothing compared to you. I belong to you mama, I am your child and my place is at your side. Now look at me" Emma stated, more force behind her words as she began to stride towards her mother. 

"I choose you" she stated again and couldn't help the gentle smile that graced her lips as her mother seemed to perk up right infront of her. The large dragon head twisting round quickly to lock luminous green eyes on Emma's own greeny blues. 

She felt herself stumbke to a stop mid stride, falling to her knees infront of her mother as she felt a sharp lurch in her abdomen. It felt as if something was trying to spring forth quote painfully, thought it wasn't quite as painful as what she had experienced with the flames wracking through her body earlier. 

"Dont fight it baby" her mothers voice was soothing as it sounded in her mind as clearly as if the older blond had just spoken out loud but Emma knew she hadn't, the woman was still in dragon form so it must be in her head or was her mother able to communicate telepathically? 

"Yes my little dragon, I am communicating with you telepathically. Its part of our bond. You can do it too. I can hear what you want me too Emma. Now focus" humour laced her mothers tone and Emma could see the tell tail signs that the older dragon was laughing at her. 

"What's happening mama" she asked, her fear a little too apparent for her own comfort as the lurching sensation sprang forth again. 

"Its time to connect with your dragon my child. Do not fight it" Maleficent replied, lacing her soft voice with a little of Alpha command, knowing that her daughter was fearful of what was happening. She couldn't fault her, she had been afraid her first change too but she knew Emma needed to do this. Needed to compete the change, securing their bond and strengthening her power. 

Emma gasped as her stomach lurched again and she felt what seemed like a brick wall within her own mind shatter within her as an unknown presence made itself known in her mind. 

'Listen to your mama, let me out little one' the surprisingly deep femine voice of what she could only assume was her dragon echoed deep within her mind. 

"You are safe Emma, let it happen" her mothers voice again and as Emma focused, allowing herself to relax and stop herself resisting as her dragon pulled itself forth within her mind she felt her body begin to twist and grow. 

"Mama!!" She whispered in fear, not at all comfortable with the overwhelming sensations taking over her body as she felt her bones grow and change as her body began molding into her dragon form. 

"Its alright Emma, I'm right here, you're doing brilliant, just relax" Emma felt herself surrender to the sensation as she focused on her mothers voice, squeezing her eyes shut tightly to stop the dizziness from overwhelming her as her surroundings suddenly become much clearer, her hearing much sharper and her sense of smell stronger all at once. 

As quickly as the lurching began Emma felt herself settle, her body stilling and her breathing evening out as she continued to sit with her eyes closed. 

"Oh my baby, you are gorgeous Emma" her mother whispered in awe and Emma could feel her mothers pride and love wash over her. "Open your eyes my little sun" her mother whispered as she gently nuzzled Emma's stomach, bringing her head up to look at her daughters face. 

She was a beautiful dragon, just as stunning as she was in human form. Her scales and feathers were a mixture of deep reds, golds and purples, her horns black ringed with gold. Maleficent wasin awe, Emma truly looked like her little sun as her scales almost glittered in the reflection of the pe moonlight above. 

When Emma locked eyes with her mother, she could see the unshed tears in the older dragons eyes amd her world seemed to calm further as she felt their familial bond settle in place within her. The feeling of complete and utter safety and belonging it brought was foreign to Emma, never having felt she fit anywhere in her life and she couldn't help but laugh, a deep rumbling, throaty sound erupting from her stomach as she chuckled. Of course she had never felt she fit anywhere, it made sense now to her, she wouldn't have ever fit in the human world, nor the land without magic because she wasn't human, she was a magical creature, a witch, a dragon and no one would have ever been able to come close to her mother in the way that her mere presence and scent totally soothed the younger blonde. 

"You did well Emma, I'm so proud of you. Though I suppose it is time for us to change back to human form, we cannot go back into town as dragons, it would terrify them all" her mother laughed as she was engulfed in a cloud of dark smoke and suddenly appeared infront of Emma in her human form. 

Emma bent down. Gently bringing her muzzle to rest against her mothers stomach as she breathed in her scent. "My little sun" Maleficent whispered as she gently scratched Emma's forehead. "Focus on what you look like as a human baby and you'll change back" she explained and pulled her daughter into her arms in a tight embrace the moment Emma managed to transform herself back. 

"Oh my baby girl, mama is so happy to have you back" the older blond chocked out quietly as she burrowed her face into Emma's neck, taking in deep breathes of her daughters soothing scent. She smelt of strawberries and vanilla with a little lavender undertone. It made Maleficent feel content ina way she never had before and she could only assume it was because she and her dragon were at ease now that they were no longer longing for both of her children. She had Emma back, all they had to do now was to find her little girls sister and then she would have both her babies in her arms and she would be damned if she ever let them go again. She would not lose them, no one would harm them and any that dared try would ultimately meet their deaths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not all too pleased with this chapter so I might come back amd edit it at some point though don't worry, this isn't the end of the Mommy Mal and her daughter Emma bonding. More to come next chapter and we might even see some fluffy moments between Emma and Regina soon ;) 
> 
> My love 
> 
> Nell xoxo


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